1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer such as a remote printer that is connected to a network such as a LAN (local area network) and prints in response to a print request from a terminal via the network.
2) Description of the Related Art
Generally, as shown in FIG. 22, plural personal computers (five computers in FIG. 22) 31A to 31E acting as terminals are arranged in a network such as LAN (local area network). A print server 32 receives print requests from the personal computers 31A to 31E and operates a remote printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) 33 to execute print requests from the personal computers 31A to 31E. Namely, a sole printer 33 is shared by the personal computers 31A to 31E, using the print server 32.
When being accepted by the print server 32, data regarding print requests from the personal computers 31A to 31E are spooled into the queue 34 to the printer 33 included in the print server 32. When the print requests are spooled into the queue 34, the personal computers 31A to 31E which have requested printing are released from the print server 32.
At this time, since the print server 32 hands the sole printer 33 data in job unit, the printer 33 in the network shown in FIG. 22 receives the next job""s print request after the completion of a job""s print request.
As shown in FIG. 23(a), where the print server 32 receives print requests from plural personal computers 31A, 31C, 31E, and 31B and then stores data regarding the print requests into the queue 34, the printer 33 performs a printing operation in accepting order of print requests, as shown in FIGS. 23(a), 23(b), and 23(c).
In such a printing method, for example, the personal computer 31A first issues ten print requests and then the personal computer 31C issues one print request. The printer 33 cannot print only one hard copy in response to the next request from the personal computer 31C before it has printed ten hard copies in response to a request from the personal computer 31A. If the printer 33 stops its printing operation due to any troubles relating to applications, all jobs in waiting state become a print waiting state.
For example, the network shown in FIG. 24 has been proposed. Referring to FIG. 24, the network includes plural printers 33A to 33D (four printers in Figures) and the print server 32 includes queues 34A to 34D connected respectively to printers 33A to 33D.
In the network, in order to set printers 33A to 33D to personal computers 31A to 31E, respectively, the personal computers 31A to 31E determines previously printers to be subjected to print requests or designate a specific printer to be requested when personal computers 31A to 31E issue print requests to the print server 32.
As shown in FIGS. 25(a) to 25(d), print request data from the personal computers 31A to 31E are spooled to the queues 34A to 34D to printers 33A to 33D set. Then the printers 33A to 33D perform printing without waiting the print end of the other personal computers 31A to 31E.
However, the network shown in FIG. 24 needs to arrange printers in number corresponding to the queues to the printers set in the print server 32, whereby the network construction cost is increased.
The present invention is made to overcome the above mentioned problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can effectively handle print requests from plural terminals without increasing running costs so that a single printer can functions as if plural printers operate.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the printer is characterized by a print execution unit for printing on predetermined paper and a control unit for controlling the operation of the print execution unit, the control unit controlling the operation of the print execution unit in response to an external print request to perform a printing operation, the control unit including plural logical printers each which performs a virtual printing process corresponding to plural jobs; whereby the control unit controls the operation of the print execution unit when each of the logical printers has completed a virtual printing operation for one page, thus printing actually data for the page.
As described above, according to the present invention, the printer performs an actual printing for a page when each logical printer has completed a virtual printing process for the page, thus performing an actual printing process in the order of completed pages. Therefore, other jobs can be printed out without waiting for the completion of a printing process corresponding to one job. A user can use physically a single printer as if his personal printer is operated. There is an advantage in that print requests from plural terminals can be effectively processed without the increasing running cost.